Academic Learning Center - A program at Rockville High that uses students to tutor other students in classes they are having trouble with. Students should talk with their guidance counselor about taking advantage of this opportunity during their study halls.

Ad Hoc - This means either something that has one purpose or something that is improvised. An "Ad Hoc" committee is a loosely formed group that has a specific goal.

Adult Education - Rockville High School is the regional facility for adult education. Students from Vernon, Bolton, Colchester, Coventry, Ellington, Glastonbury, Lebanon, Manchester, South Windsor, Stafford, Tolland, Union, Regional School District #8, and #19 all come to RHS for adult education classes to get their GED or other programs that adult learners are in need of. (General Educational Development) - State Web Site

AP - Advanced Placement – this is a level of classes where students get a regular grade and credit toward graduation but also may pay to take a standard exam which is graded simply “1” to” 5”. Many colleges give a student credit if they receive a grade of 3, 4, or 5 on an AP course. AP courses are considered to be the hardest level and are usually taken by Juniors and Seniors.

Block Scheduling - There are 8 class periods at RHS. On an "A" day, students take classes 1-4 and on a "B" day they take classes 5-8. Class periods are 82 minutes long. For example, in this way, students have 4 classes on Monday and have the same 4 classes again on Wednesday, so they have 2 days to get homework done for those classes. Of course, they may also get homework from the Tuesday classes which will be due on Thursday, so students still have to budget their time and plan ahead. The RHS web site shows the A-B schedule. When do they eat lunch? The third period of the day is extra-long, so students eat lunch in one of those parts and have the scheduled class in the rest of the time. Some students eat lunch as early as 10:32 AM, but they have been at school since 7:27 and get home about 2:15, so they survive OK. The official RHS web site does a good job explaining this - Web Site

Board of Education - A group of citizens, elected to staggered terms by the voters of Vernon, who direct and oversee the operation of schools in Vernon. They are all volunteers and work closely with the Superintendent of Schools, who is a full time employee hired by the Board. There are 9 members plus 2 student representatives from Rockville High School. – Official Web Site

Bond - A loan taken out by the Town to pay for something now. The loan is re-paid over a number of years. Purchasers buy the bonds and that provides the money to the Town, the Town pays the loan back with interest to the purchasers of the bonds.

CABE - Connecticut Boards of Education, an association of the Boards of Education in Connecticut -

CAPT - Connecticut Academic Performance Test, passing all 4 sections of CAPT is now a graduation requirement. – Web Site

Choice Program - Pick one. At this point there are 3 choice programs at RHS. Hartford Choice allows students from Hartford to attend RHS. RHS Choice is a program designed to help at-risk 9th and 10th grade students be successful at RHS. The Guidance Department Choices program is an internet based program to help students decide on a future career and life after RHS.

CREC - Capitol Region Education Council – Web Site

ECS - Educational Cost Sharing – this is the formula by which the State of Connecticut determines how much money will be given to each Town by the State.

ERG - Education Reference Group – This is a grouping of towns by the State Department of Education in order to compare similar towns – Vernon is Group F which includes Bloomfield, Enfield, Groton, Manchester, Milford, Montville, Naugatuck, Seymour, Stonington, Stratford, Torrington, Wallingford, Waterford, Windsor Locks, and Wolcott. See the State of Connecticut, Department of Education web site for more information.

FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid CAUTION - there are similar web sites that are actually commercial sites that try to get you to pay for their services! – Web Site

Festival of Bands - A fund-raiser for and run by the RHS marching band and the booster club. A number of other bands come to Vernon and compete, this is open to anyone (small admission is charged). It's a lot of fun with good food at an expanded concession stand, usually held on a Saturday night in the fall.  

FFA - This is a club within the vo-ag program at RHS. "FFA" used to stand for "Future Farmers of America" but now its just "FFA". (see also - "vo-ag")

Homecoming - A weekend in October when alumni are invited back to the school. There is a dance for current RHS students, a football game, and a pep rally with competitions and a bonfire. The pep rally is open to all, including parents, admission is usually a small cash donation or canned food.

Housemaster - This means Assistant Principal. RHS is broken into two "houses" (House "A" and House "B"), not to be confused with "A" and "B" days (see "block scheduling"). Students are assigned to teams of guidance counselors by being in either House "A" or "B". Houses are not physically separated, this is just a grouping of students.

LEA - Local Education Association – this term will be used in State and other reports such as , “the LEA is trying to make their schools work for the students.”

Mr. RHS - a humorous competition usually held the Friday night before Thanksgiving in which a few selected senior boys compete for the title of Mr. RHS in categories of swimsuits, talent, and questions. A small admission is charged and this is open to everyone, space in the RHS auditorium permitting. You will never have as much fun for such a low price!

NEASC - This stands for the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. They send a team to evaluate, issue a report, and accredit schools (this mean that the school has met certain standards and graduates of the school will have their diploma accepted as coming from a decent school). They last visited RHS in 2003 and issued a detailed report with recommendations in 2004. The report is available for review in the RHS office and at Town Hall and the Public Library. – Web Site

NHS - National Honor Society – Web Site

No Child Left Behind - A law created in 2002 which is supposed to result in better schools. Many schools get onto "watch lists" because simply not enough students take required standard testing, so it is important that students take tests when they are administered. This DOES NOT mean that students will not fail if they do not do required work, etc. Students may still fail and be required to repeat a grade if they fail in school.

Powderpuff Football Game - One of the entertaining competitions at Homecoming. Junior girls vs. Senior girls in flag football. Male cheerleaders provide extra excitement.

PPT - Planning Placement Team This is a meeting with parents, teachers, and administrators to determine a students qualifications for Special Education.

Project Graduation - An all-night, substance free party that is free for all graduating seniors – More information is on the official RHS web site.

RAGE - This is the robotics team, RAGE stands for Robotics and Gadget Engineering – see the links page

Referendum - a special Town-wide vote on a question.

School Building Advisory Commission - This is a group of volunteers who are working on the improvements to the school buildings as authorized by the voters in a referendum in March, 2005. See the “Construction Corner” part of our web site for periodic updates.

Senior Privileges - Seniors at RHS get certain privileges after their parents sign-off and allow them to have the privileges. See the Student Handbook for more information.

SEPTA - Special Education Parent-Teacher Association.

SSEC - Systemwide School Effectiveness Committee - This is a group of teachers representing each school that meets regularly with the School Superintendent.

Swimming Pool - located on the third floor of RHS (see "Third Floor")

Third Floor - A fictitious place where the swimming pool is.

Vo-Ag - Vocational Agriculture. Students from Vernon and 11 other area towns take classes related to agriculture in the Vo-Ag Center next to RHS as well as taking regular classes in RHS.